Varyants

Variants are different versions of a virus that naturally emerge as it spreads and replicates. These changes, called mutations, can affect how the virus behaves, such as its ability to infect people, spread more easily, or evade immune responses. Variants are identified through genetic sequencing and named or classified to help monitor their impact and guide public health responses. Just like how a new version of a software has updates or improvements, viral variants are updates in the virus's genetic code, which can influence its characteristics and the ways we manage its spread.